From the infinite scale of the universe, to the infinitesimal scale of sub-atomic particles, Berkeley Lab researchers are advancing the scope of human knowledge through an array of scientific programs, partnerships and proposals. Below are some of the critical efforts already underway or in development.
Soft X-Ray Science for Discovery
Scientists in Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source, Accelerator and Fusion Research Division, and other divisions are exploring new ways to produce ultrafast, ultrabright beams of light called “soft x-rays,” light that can catch electrons in the act of reshaping the world around us.
Climate Change and Environmental Sciences
At Berkeley Lab, climate scientists, geologists, microbiologists, computer scientists, and engineers tackle some of the planet's most pressing issues--from predictive models to study climate and complex global interactions, to carbon storage and environmental remediation.
Matter and Force in the Universe
Berkeley Lab scientists were pathfinders to the universe as we now know it, and are still in the vanguard of exploration from studying the mystery of dark energy and the elusive neutrino, to investigating the heart of the atomic nucleus and designing apparatus to probe the secrets of high-energy physics.
Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy
There’s enough power in an hour’s worth of global sunlight to supply an entire year’s worth of human energy demands with no carbon emissions to exacerbate global warming. But until we are able to make full and effective use of this bounty, energy efficiency remains the most readily available means of reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
Computational Science and Networking
Berkeley Lab scientists and computing resources located at Berkeley Lab have helped to pioneer our understanding of climate change, how proteins conduct life’s fundamental work, and how a star explodes — to name just a few advances. Berkeley Lab is at the vanguard of high performance computing and high speed networking, both of which are required by today’s data-intensive, international scientific collaborations.
Biological Sciences for Energy Research
Extracting and fermenting plant sugars into advanced biofuels that can replace gasoline on a gallon-for-gallon basis has the potential to far exceed today’s entire global production of oil. Berkeley Lab researchers are working towards this goal via three major efforts – the Joint BioEnergy Institute, the Joint Genome Institute, and the Energy Biosciences Institute.
